Sunday Magazine Fall 2014 by Lord's Day Alliance USA

Fall 2014

LDA 125th Anniversary Statement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Relections—Finding Our Place. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Rodney L. Petersen

Remembering Sunday and its Lasting Imprint . . . . . . . . . . 6 Floyd A. Craig

Volume 101, Number 1 The Lord’s Day Alliance of the United States 2715 Peachtree Rd., NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30305 Phone: 404-693-5530, info@ldausa.org Suggested Subscription Donation: $15.00 annually

The Mark of our Identity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Articles in Sunday Magazine do not necessarily represent the view of The Lord’s Day Alliance of the United States. Although the editor is responsible for their selection, responsibility for opinions expressed and accuracy of statements contained herein rests with the authors. Materials printed herein are copyrighted. Permission to reprint should be requested from the editor unless stated otherwise.

The Gift of Rest and Renewal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Marvin R. Jonasen

Book Review…by the Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 African American Worship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 – Generations of Worship Lenore H. Tucker A Civic Sabbath. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Laura E. Everett

Officers of the Board of Managers President, Floyd Craig Vice President, John Hinkle Secretary, Jack West Treasurer, Brian Hanse Immediate Past President, David McNair, etc. Presidents Emerit: Paul Craven, Roger Kvam, David Sapp Board of Managers Timothy Bird Donald B. Conroy Betty Jo Craft Floyd A. Craig William C. Hanse Marcus L. Hodge Ruth E. Hodge J. N. (Dock) Hollingsworth Marvin R. Jonasen

Honoring S. Truett Cathy

LDA Board member and Chick-fil-A founder and billionaire S. Truett Cathy (1921-2014) died on Monday, September 8. Cathy began a restaurant chain that famously closes every Sunday. None of its hundreds of restaurants are open on that day, to allow employees a day of rest. Its executives often said the chain made as much money in six days as its competitors do in seven. Cathy’s interests included the welfare of young people. In 1984 he created the WinShape Foundation to help “shape winners” through youth support programs and scholarships. He created a long-term program for foster children that has foster care homes in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and Brazil. He was a practitioner of restorative justice before the popularity of the term as seen in 2008 when he worked out a deal with the parents of two girls who were accused of causing damage to a home he owned in Florida. He told the Daytona Beach News-Journal that he didn’t want them prosecuted and left with a criminal record. Cathy also spent 50 years teaching Sunday school to 13-year-old boys.

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Andrew E. V. Krey David Lauten Timothy A. Norton Lenore H. Tucker John Van Hemert Edward L. (Woody) White, Jr. Frank Woodson

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By Rodney L. Petersen

2013 Lowndes Sermon Competition first place sermon – Opposition Standing in the Face of Truth . . . . . . . . . 8 Sarah Reid Bird and Timothy Bird

GENERATIONS

Rodney L. Petersen, Editor James L. Hornsby, Art and Layout Director

MISSION: The Lord's Day Alliance of the United States exists to encourage all people to receive God's great gift of Sabbath rest and to encourage all Christians to worship the risen Lord Jesus Christ, on the Lord's Day–Sunday–that they may be renewed in spirit and empowered to live lives worthy of the Gospel.

Shivonne C. McKay

FAITHFULL IN ALL

Faithful in all Generations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Rodney L. Petersen

Honorary Board of Managers Mary Arnold Binns S. Truett Cathy E. Larry Eidson James N. Griffith Eugene J. Nicodemus E. Moss Robertson Wendell J. Schaal Samuel (Sam)

Staff Rodney L. Petersen, Executive Director Sharon Vandergriff, Administrative Assistant

The contours of this journey have been laid out by Augustine in his Confessions, by John Bunyan in Pilgrim’s Progress and more recently by Eugene Peterson in his a now recognized classic, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction. Each of these classics of Christian spirituality stress different but complementary benchmarks. However, Peterson finds in the Songs of Ascent (Psalms 120-134), a cycle of songs sung by Jewish pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem to worship, what might be seen as an analogy for the corporate journey of the Christian today – and one which resonates with the goals of the Lord’s Day Alliance. As the LDA now begins its 126th year of advocacy on behalf of the Lord’s Day—“Faithful in all Generations”— might be a phrase to use. We read in Psalm 145:3-5 (NIV): Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.

Being a Christian means embarking on a journey.

One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts.

This issue of Sunday Magazine reflects on this journey through the eyes of Floyd A. Craig, President of the LDA, through the words of Board member Timothy Bird and daughter Sarah Reid Bird, and in the thoughts of Board members Lenore H. Tucker and Marvin R. Jonasen. It is a journey marked by the question, “What would Jesus Do?” (WWJD) on this day, Sunday, by its focus on relationships characterized by freedom and joy, and by how we treat this day as symbolic of our understanding of history and its momentum. What we do on Sunday says something about the nature of our understanding of the meaning of “faithful in all generations.” These common assumptions about the Lord’s Day are of value for corporate Christian life, as a witness to civil society, as a contribution to the “Beloved Community”— for God dwells in the praises of his people (Psalm 22:3) in all generations.

Sunday, Sabbath and the Weekend: Managing Time in a Global Culture “Much needed in a culture that emphasizes productivity and work as the source of identity. Sunday, Sabbath, and the Weekend points powerfully to an ancient and yet countercultural spiritual practice—Sabbath-keeping… an excellent resource!”

Rodney L. Petersen

Executive Director of the Lord’s Day Alliance

Claire Wolfteich— Boston University School of Theology

Published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, Co. ISBN 978-0-8028-6583-0

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Reflections

The 125 th Anniversary Convocation of the Lord’s Day Alliance was held on September 27-28, 2013 at the Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York and at the Abyssinian Baptist Church. The following statement was issued on this occasion.

WHEREAS the Lord’s Day Alliance was established in 1888 to encourage Sabbath or Sunday observance and rest on a weekend in American culture; and, WHEREAS the Fourth Commandment of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20: 8-11), the “hinge” commandment of the Decalogue, connects our duties toward God with our duties toward each other by calling on all to remember the Sabbath Day and to keep it holy; and, WHEREAS Sabbath adherence is referred to as a common good for all humanity and creation, the Lord’s Day Alliance encourages all people of faith to more seriously engage in rest and worship within their own faith tradition; and, WHEREAS Christ calls himself the Lord of the Sabbath, Christians are to keep the Sabbath Day holy because God is holy, finding in it freedom, reconciliation, and delight; and WHEREAS in the midst of the fragmentation of life in the United States, research affirms the good of rest for society’s benefit, and for human flourishing; BE IT RESOLVED in this 125th anniversary year of the Lord’s Day Alliance that the Lord’s Day Alliance calls on all Americans to observe Sabbath practice and to recognize the relationship between the Fourth Commandment and its connection with the other Nine Commandments as it relates to the essential relationship between worship (spiritual health), healing (emotional health) and rest (physical health). Adopted by the Board of Managers, The Lord’s Day Alliance of the U.S., Meeting in Their 125th Annual Session, September 28, 2013

Finding Our Place

By Rodney Petersen

here is a resurgence of interest in Sabbath and Sunday practices in American culture today. And it comes from such disciplines as Health and Psychology, Human Resources, Environmental Studies – as well as from the more expected fields of Spirituality, Theology, and Religion. As the LDA works on the question of how, “Sunday and Sabbath Speak to 21st Century Spirituality and Social Practice,” we need to find our voice and our place. Some of the things we can do include supporting others as they discover for the first time, or re-discover, the meaning of Sabbath and the Lord’s Day in their lives. This may mean sorting out what we ourselves believe about the Sabbath of Creation, the Mosaic Sabbath, the New Testament Sabbath, or the celebration of the Lord’s Day. Second, we can lobby for and practice in our lives and even corporate life the maintenance of a Lord’s Day asking, what would Jesus do on this day? Something like this must have been at work in the mind of the late S. Truett Cathy who did so much to model and make possible the practice of Sunday as a Sabbath in his own life and in the lives of others. Third, we can explore how the Sabbath Commandment and its New Testament exhortation find places of integration with all of life, in other words how the Sabbath Command bridges duty to God (“spirituality”), as depicted in the first three Commandments and duty to neighbor (“social practice”), as noted in Commandments Five through Ten. As such, we can explore and find meaningful their integration. After all, is this not where the message of Isaiah 58:6-14 and Luke 4:18-21 take us?

As the LDA finds its voice in a society that is hungry for its message it can best do this in alliance with others. For example, we have partnered with the Academy of Preachers as young men and women have had the opportunity to preach in preaching festivals associated with our conferences. We can join together with the organization Blessed Earth, concerned about the social, personal and mental health benefits of the Fourth Commandment and its implications for the stewardship of the earth. We might also think of working together with Day1, the radio and audio company formerly known as “The Protestant Hour.” They could highlight our winning sermon contest individual and assist with the distribution of LDA products. On a more substantive side, we might partner with REFO500, the international organization planning for coherent and connective events associated with the significance of the 500th Anniversary of the Luther Reformation. We have much to learn through an exploration of the roots of Sabbath/ Sunday thinking in western culture and the points of relationship between Human Rights and the Decalogue. Such could lead to work with the United Nations Advisory Committee on Environmental Sabbath/World Day of Rest. And, there are almost endless possibilities of engagement with the Labor Sabbath movement and Marketplace Ministries. In other words, if we look around we might find many who would rally to an alliance of the Lord’s Day and its integration of spirituality with social justice, as we find our voice and our place in challenging times.

(from left to right) Jenny and Edward “Woody” White, Timothy Norton, and Betty Jo Craft

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“ Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall

labor and to all your work…Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.”Exodus 20: 8,9,12 (NKJV)

Remembering A

Sunday and its Lasting Imprint B y F l o y d A. C r a i g

ttending Sunday worship services, for me, was never a choice. My mother took me the week after I was born. On Sunday in my church, there was a 9 a.m. Sunday School and an 11 a.m. Sunday morning & a 7 pm evening service. One had to be near death not to attend. As a family, my mother, my brother and sister and I were present at Sunday worship and whenever the church doors were open. My father was the pastor. It never occurred to our family that there was a choice. I do not recall my father, or my mother ever demanding us to go Sunday to worship. They led us there. Sunday participation was part of our family’s lifestyle. Growing up, my mother read Bible stories to us during the week—as we used to call it “family worship.” The Biblical stories are etched into my DNA. But the core of all this was Sunday worship. Our week’s activities revolved around Sunday worship. We knew about the Fourth Commandment because as a family we were taught it—“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work…Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.” Exodus 20: 8,9,12 (NKJV).

im-print transitive verb to cause (something) to stay in your mind or memory to fix indelibly or permanently (as on the memory)

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Sabbath and Sunday

For us, the word “Sabbath” meant “Sunday” and we did, in fact, call it “the Lord’s Day”— the first day of the week. We knew our Jewish friends knew “Sabbath” as their day of worship and rest. It was never a matter, which was right — Sunday was our day, Sabbath was their day. No big deal. That was the way it was. Upon reflection, it is not surprising it never occurred to me Sunday should not be “the Lord’s Day” and we would not be present for worship. It was in that atmosphere I found life-long friends— some my age, some as old as my grandparents. It was there I played volleyball with the other boys and men after the Wednesday evening services, enjoyed the Sundays when there was “dinneron-the-ground,” the lively Christmas parties and music, became member of a boy’s missionary organization where we learned about the “Great Commission,” memorized scriptures and could recite all 66 books of the Bible and could find any scripture at the drop of a hat. It was during those experiences and my senior year in high school I felt the “Call” to preach. It was in my father’s church, I became licensed to “preach” and ultimately, during my freshman year in college was asked to be pastor of a small rural church. Only then was I ordained. And when and where should that ordination take place? On a Sunday afternoon, in father’s church. I shall never forget those young, old rough and large, soft hands being laid upon my youthful head in that ordination—each with a prayer of affirmation—on that December 1953 Sunday.

Sunday’s Imprint

Those formative and foundational years have become even more important now than they were then. Who knew where those Sunday experiences would take my family and me. Sure, my understanding of the “Call” and the Sunday experiences has been broadened, and I hope and pray, deepened over these years. Sunday’s imprint has never left me. Of course, Sunday’s imprint has not always been a positive one for some. But it happens. Sad to say. Hopefully, these negative imprints can be reshaped even later in life. But for me, it was a positive

and continues to be a life strengthening experience. Because of this personal pilgrimage, how could I not wish for every person to experience an uplifting and affirming SUNDAY!

LDA Founders

Some 125 years ago, when The Lord’s Day Alliance of the United States (LDA) was organized this was the hope and prayer that the, “Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy..,” the Fourth Commandment, would be embraced by every person and business in the United States regardless of their denomination or personal faith. The LDA founders, also, had a Biblical conviction that when individuals, families, young and old participated in Sunday worship and used the day to rest and recover from the week’s toil—something wonderful happens! Lives are strengthened, encouraged, affirmed and spirits are restored. A minister friend, senior pastor in Atlanta and a member of the LDA Board of Managers, Dr. Dock Hollingsworth, probably received more words of appreciation for a recent sermon than he may have ever received. After he gave the benediction, he said to the congregation, “It was so good you participated in morning worship, now I hope you will go home and take a NAP!” He almost received a round of applause! Go and do likewise! Floyd A. Craig is serving his first term as President of the Board of Managers. Floyd has been a member of the Board for 46 years. He is president of Craig Communications Inc. based in Franklin, Tennessee. Craig Communications partners with religious and non-profit groups regionally and nationally to assist them to communicate more effectively within their organization and with their constituents. He is author of ten books on communications, marketing and public relations. He and his spouse, Anne, are members of the First Baptist Church, Nashville, Tennessee.

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individuals, families, young and old participated in Sunday worship and used the day to rest and recover from the week’s toil — something wonderful happens! Lives are strengthened, encouraged, affirmed and spirits are restored.

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By Shivonne C. McKay

Opposition Standing in the Face of Truth 2013 Lowndes Sermon Competition first place sermon

John 8:31-38 (NIV) 31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” 34 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me, because you have no room for my word. 38 I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you are doing what you have heard from your father.”

ince this year began, the nation has experienced the celebratory marker of some significant and historic events. In January we celebrated the 150th anniversary of the emancipation proclamation. In August we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington. This month, the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Children’s Defense Fund Organization, and the 125th Anniversary of the founding of the Lord’s Day Alliance. All of the ABOVE named anniversarys have one thing in common. At its inception, the basis for what began as movements were inspired by a need for truth. Truth being that Freedom ought to be extended to all persons because all men, women and children are created equal. Thankfully, there were those who would serve as catalysts and pioneers for the change that was needed, but what about those who offered push back and opposed those who stood in the face? Many of us empathize with Sybrina Fulton, who is still on a quest for the truth to be known of the events that led to the untimely death of her son Trayvon Martin. The nation currently wants the truth about the necessity of US involvement in the Syrian crisis. Soon, the government will be making the decision as to whether or not to cut 40 billion dollars in SNAP which provides food assistance to millions of low income and elderly persons in this country. They say it is necessary, but in this instance, do we have the truth? Did the National Security Agency not possess the truth of the Navy Yard’s shooters background, or did they choose to ignore it? While some would say that the quest for truth persists, others would dare say that based on the facts of ‘things not being exactly the way it used to be, that truth has indeed prevailed in this land. Whether it be through the source of local or cable news, Facebook, Twitter, or the internet, we have been granted front row access to all of the political, and social upheavals that are still plaguing our society. In my text for today, John the beloved disciple, writes of Jesus continual teachings of discipleship to the Johannine

community. In earlier passages Jesus’s identity is disputed and denied by the very people he came to save. Given the historical circumstances of the time in which the text takes place, John’s aim was to inspire members of a community to maintain their belief during these troubling times. Jesus attempts to persuade the Jews that he is in-fact the one who’d come and would return as the fulfillment for all humankind. Anyone within the Johannine community who confessed Jesus as the Messiah was in danger of being expelled from the synagogue. Here we have Jesus who impresses upon them the requirement of what being a true disciple means. Jesus encourages those who’ve come to believe to “continue in my word,” a word that will liberate them through knowledge of the truth. It is then and only then that you will be set free. The text says some not only denied but even turned towards hostility and wrath at the one who was the promise of freedom wrapped up in the flesh. How often have we found ourselves, in the same position like these in the text, who stood in the face of truth, yet had no room in our hearts or minds to receive it? Being the one to receive TRUTH and TRUTH-TELLING puts people’s lives in jeopardy. Like those members of the synagogue, when giving or receiving the truth, you run the risk of being outcasted in some capacity. It is more comfortable to not have to deal with FACTS AS THEY ARE which is why people tend to shy away from it. Truth telling is difficult but we have a mandate given by a God who through the power of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, we are enabled to stand firm and flat footed in the face of truth. What must we reject? We must reject, systemic strongholds that pervade our political, economic, social, and educational systems. We must reject, efforts to shut the government down in the face of Obama care. We must reject claims that war is necessary, and that we can not live peaceably with all men. We must reject claims that our black and brown children can’t learn. We must reject that poverty is a way of life for the marginalized. None of these are truths. We must reject that as women there ought not be equal compensation to that of male

FORMATION counterparts for the same work. We must reject that despite the building of more prisons, that the life of a young or old black man is meaningless. We should be rejecting, everything that contradicts the face of truth. So what is truth, and how will we recognize it? According to the merriam-webster definition, truth is the “real facts about something.” Another definition says it is the quality or state of being true, or a statement or idea that is true or accepted as true. Jesus’s definition of truth: His word, which is Jesus himself. Jesus gives a clear mandate, which offers a condition (If—then), to the Christians of old and and new. That if we continue in His word, that He who is the living word will expose the truth. He will expose himself and we will have it. We will have truth. We will have Him and all that we need. That’s good news today. So I ask you, are you standing in the face of truth? We are all slaves to that which we accept. Have you accepted Christ. Have you accepted his truth. HE IS STANDING IN YOUR FACE. REACH OUT AND GRAB HIM WHILE HE IS NEAR. God didn’t intend for us to live in bondage. “Jesus came so that we could have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10, NRSV). He is calling us, to our rightful place. God wants us to have a permanent place in the house....that’s why he sent his Son Jesus Christ who is the propitiation for our sins. What is opposing your truth?

for Life

Just Peacemaking and Twenty-First Century Discipleship “This extraordinary collection of essays, reflecting wide and richly diverse faith-inspired roots, leads us toward a deep pool of shared wisdom. Just peace in a broken world is possible. The transformation from brokenness to healing and justice requires preparation, full-life engagement, and practical love. Within these pages theology comes alive, hands-on ethics walk and talk among us, and compassion radiates light on the pathway to recover our basic humanity.”

IS IT POVERTY... ACCEPT WEALTH.... IS IT STRIFE... ACCEPT PEACE.... IS IT DEPRESSION... ACCEPT YOUR NEW MIND IN CHRIST JESUS.... IS IT LONELINESS...GOOD COMPANIONSHIP.... IS IT SICKNESS... ACCEPT HEALTH....IS IT DEATH... ACCEPT LIFE.... ACCEPT HE WHO IS THE WORD, TRUTH, AND THE LIGHT TODAY.... AMEN. Shivonne C. McKay Assistant Director of Social Service & Guidance Counseling at St. John’s Residence and School for Boys before answering the call to ministry. She has and continues to serve as an Adjunct Professor at St. Francis College located in Brooklyn, New York. She lectures in the department of Psychology, Education, and Women’s Studies. Ms. McKay is in her final year as a Master of Divinity degree student at Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, New Jersey. She is committed to family and efforts providing equal access of education to all children, empowering young women as leaders, and serving low income communities. She serves with several social service agencies and has co-authored the book, Becoming a Woman Like Ruth.

John Paul Lederach— Kroc Institute, University of Notre Dame

Published by Wipf & Stock, Pickwick Imprint ISBN 978-1-61097-986-3

$29.60 Paperback @ wipfandstock.com

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By Sarah Reid Bird and Timothy Bird

the Mark of our Identity To limit one’s activity is to be reminded that God is in control. It is to recognize that our identity is not based on… our every effort to achieve, to secure ourselves, and to make the world into our image according to our purposes.

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here are nearly 40 years difference between my experience and the experiences of my daughter in the church. My daughter, Sarah, just finished her M.Div. this past May, and as we reflect on the place of the Lord’s Day in the lives of those we serve in the church, we recognize that there is a great similarity between our perspectives on the subject. Though we may have different experiences, the God we serve is the same, and the Day we observe will always belong to the Lord. An aspect of the value of observing the Lord’s Day in the lives of so many who are hooked on social media today pertains to one’s perceived identity. The following are reflections on this subject as it applies to so many of us who are perhaps too connected to the world and not connected enough to our Creator to recognize how we are loved and valued as God’s Child. Every Sunday morning before the responsive call to worship, before the first hymn, even before the pianist begins playing the prelude, the minister at my church gets up and reminds us why we are there. Why we come together to worship at all. Often times he will point out that all week long we have been given many different messages. We hear and often believe things that society tells us about who we are — or more fittingly who we are not. We are not pretty enough, not smart enough, not thin enough, not funny enough, not…the list goes on. He then proceeds with audacity to call those messages lies and to reassure the people who are gathered for worship that we are indeed enough. He reminds us of our identities as children of the Most High. In today’s culture of consumerism and materialism, in a society that is so driven by what one can buy or achieve, it is not surprising that a group of faithful adults who attend worship every Sunday morning still need to hear this message week after week. Observing the Lord’s Day is a gift because it is on that day, through worship, that we are reminded of our identity.

Sabbath is not just about rest and worship, but it is also about remembrance. In both the Exodus and Deuteronomy pericopes that list the Ten Commandments given to the Israelite people, Sabbath is about remembering. In Exodus, the people are told to remember then keep the Sabbath (Exodus 20:8-11). In Deuteronomy, the people are told to keep the Sabbath and then remember — remember that they were once slaves in the land of Egypt 1 (Deuteronomy 5:12-15). In essence, this commandment to observe the Sabbath is wrapped up in the way the Israelites remember who they are and who their God is. This is the root of Sabbath practice. To be reminded that one’s identity does not depend on what one does, but rather on what God has done. Karl Barth puts it this way, “The first divine action which man is allowed to witness is that God rested on the seventh day and blessed and hallowed it. And the first word said to him, the first obligation brought to his notice, is that without any works or merits he himself may rest with God and then go to his work. It really consists in the fact that he is obliged to be free: free to behold the particular thing that God in His freedom has purposed to perform in His created world; free to behold the way and fulfillment of the kingdom of grace. 2 Thus, if we were to limit our activity and our connectivity and our feverish scramble to create identities for ourselves online or to manipulate others in an effort to be “liked,”then we would find true freedom to be who we were created to be. Barth is famous for asserting that true freedom is found within limits. 3 To limit one’s activity is to be reminded that God is in control. It is to recognize that our identity is not based on”…our every effort to achieve, to secure ourselves, and to make the world into our image according to our purposes.” 4 We can trust our God. We can cease our striving, even if only for a day. We can put down our phones, we can lay aside our computers because they are not the source of our identity. Sabbath reminds us of this. When we rest from our struggling to create an identity for ourselves, when we stop gathering‚ “likes”, we can acknowledge that God is the true Provider and it is in Him we find our identity. Even as I am writing this article, my phone is in sight (and within reach), my internet browser has a tab up for both my email and my Facebook pages, and I am waiting for someone to message me back about plans for this evening. The perils of social media do not touch adolescents alone. The effects can be felt throughout the wider culture, touching all ages. However, if we can embrace the Lord’s Day as a time for resting in and with God, a way of remembering God’s work and God’s unmerited grace, and a chance to own our true identity as the ones the Divine choose to enter into relationship with, then perhaps we can begin to reshape our culture of achievement wrapped up in social media.

Endnotes 1 2 3 4

Patrick D. Miller, Deuteronomy: Interpretation: a Bible commentary for teaching and preaching, (Louisville, Ky.: John Knox Press, 1990), 81. Karl Barth, Church Dogmatics, III/1, 52. Ibid., 215. Walter Brueggeman, Genesis: Interpretation: a Bible commentary for teaching and preaching, (Louisville, Ky.: Westminister John Knox Press, 2010), 35.

Bibliography Barth, Karl. Church Dogmatics. Ed. G.W. Bromiley and T.F. Torrance. Edinburgh: T. & T Clark, 1936 – 75. Brueggemann, Walter. Genesis: Interpretation: a Bible commentary for teaching and preaching. Louisville, Ky.: Westminister John Knox Press, 2010. Miller, Patrick D.. Deuteronomy: Interpretation : a Bible commentary for teaching and preaching. Louisville, Ky.: John Knox Press, 1990.

Rev. Timothy E. Bird did his undergraduate work at Hampden Sydney College in Virginia. Upon graduation, he pursued graduate studies at Harvard Divinity, Andover Newton Theological School, graduating with a masters of divinity from Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, VA. During that time, he spent a year as a volunteer in mission in Brazil. He has served pastorates in North Carolina and is presently pastor of Glade Spring Presbyterian Church in Virginia. Rev. Bird is a fourth generation Presbyterian USA pastor. He is followed in ministry by his daughter Sarah. He has served the LDA as a board member for thirty five years. Sarah Bird graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary in May 2014 with her M.Div. It was at Princeton that she developed her sense of call to the ministry, her passion for preaching and teaching, and the joy she receives from walking alongside others in their faith journeys. Upon ordination, Sarah will be a fifth generation PCUSA minister. She recently accepted a call to be the Associate Pastor at Sewickley Presbyterian Church outside Pittsburgh, PA.

Save the Date The Lord’s Day Alliance of the U.S. proposes a conference to be hosted by the Pitts Library, Candler School of Theology, Emory University on integrating the 4th and 5th Commandments. In other words, a conference which asks the question of how to understand the 5th commandment (“Honor your Father and Mother”) in light of the Sabbath Commandment. We expect the conference to revolve around issues of “intergenerationality.” The idea that the 4th Commandment is central to all the other Commandments and that they come together in the 4th Commandment is an idea embedded in the theology of Karl Barth. The dates for this conference which might be held in two locations could be October 22-23, 2015 at the Pitts Library, or other suitable facility on the Emory campus.

The alternative is physical burnout, emotional exhaustion, and spiritual emptiness.

the gift of Rest and Renewal

By Rev. Marvin R. Jonasen

s children we are blessed with something called “nap time.” Though, as children, we may fight it, and those seeking to encourage it, it is an important resting time from all the busy activities that children often engage in. For the elderly, “nap time,” may be referred to by other names—i.e., “just resting my eyes,” or apologetically saying, “I’m sorry for dozing off”—but in essence it’s the same thing; a time to rest from the ongoing activities and demands, work and worries that life engages us all in. But whether we call it “nap time” or “just resting our eyes, “ whether its someone who loves and cares about us who is encouraging it, or it’s our own bodies telling us its time; rest and renewal is something that we all need. The challenge for everyone in the middle—those who are no longer children, and not yet “elderly”—is to realize that the benefits of “nap time” and/or “just resting our eyes,” is essential for the health and well-being of us all. In a world in which we are regularly confronted with demands of all kind—occasions in which we must deal with uncertainty, fear and challenges that push us beyond where we may feel we are capable of going—the necessity of making time for rest becomes even more essential for our physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. By way of example, when we are exposed to the kind of stress that arises when a loved one is hospitalized, and uncertainty fills our thoughts; when we are faced with fearful times in which we are confronted with life choices and/or a dangerous situation that causes us to worry; when we are challenged by living conditions that cause us to struggle with questions of how we will survive—how we will provide for our families—moments, however brief they may be, in which we may embrace and be embraced by a time of intentional peace and

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place of sanctuary are critical if we are to maintain a healthy physical, emotional and spiritual state of being. Like a loving parent who encourages children to lay down for a nap, God encourages is to make time for rest, to stop amidst a 24/7 world to enjoy much needed moments for renewal. In the same way, when our bodies are telling us to “rest our eyes,” it’s the Spirit of God that dwells within us reminding us that the uncertainty, fear and challenges we endure in life can only be countered by intentionally setting aside time for the heart and soul, the body and mind to be at peace—wrapped in the Gift of God’s Loving presence. In the commandment that says, “Remember the Sabbath and Keep it Holy,” we are provided with such a gift, a very special gift from God, freely given with love, which recognizes what we, amidst our busy lives may sometimes fail to see, or allow ourselves to enjoy. Forgetting that we were once children and perhaps, at times, being unwilling to admit that we will one day grow old; we may fight the need for God’s “nap time,” (moments in which we may enjoy the gift of Sabbath that God has given us). Remember, however, God’s gift of Sabbath is not a punishment, nor is it simply having us sleep so that God can take a break from us. God’s Gift of Sabbath Rest and Renewal, is given to us, with God’s love, so that our physical, emotional and spiritual well-being may be healthy and whole, energized and equipped to bear, believe, hope and endure all things, knowing that God’s Love (and Gift of Sabbath) never ends. After “nap time,” children are often ready to play and imagine, laugh and create, run and sing. The elderly, after “resting their eyes,” are often renewed and ready to take on the tasks at hand; and to play and imagine, laugh and create, walk and sing. For all of us in the middle, we can learn a great deal from the boundless energy of children (who need a “nap time” to keep going) and from the wisdom of the elderly (who also need to “rest their eyes,” periodically in order to keep going). For young people balancing the many demands of school and learning, for families balancing the challenges of kids and work, for all people balancing the uncertainties, fears and challenges of life, it is very important to remember that the hinge of hope, the leveling point, the lynchpin that keeps it all in balance is found in the words, “Remember the Sabbath and keep it Holy.” In these words we have a gift that will strength our resolve, encourage our ability and equip us to encounter, engage and/ or endure all that life may toss our way—both the joyful and the sad, the tearful and the happy, the easy and the hard things of life. In these words God is encouraging us to take a nap, to rest our eyes, to renew our hearts and souls for the journey ahead. How does one who lives and works in a 24/7 world find time for rest and renewal? By recognizing and accepting the reality that we all need a time of rest and renewal—that no one can keep going 24/7, nonstop forever, without suffering serious physical, emotional and spiritual consequences. In other words, when our lives, our schedules and the demands placed

Marvin R. Jonasen is a Lutheran Pastor and LDA Board Member.

on us cause us to say things like, “I’m too busy,” “I just don’t have time,” and/or “I’ve got to get this done first,” then it’s time to take a nap, to rest our eyes and to seek a renewing Sabbath moment. The alternative is physical burnout, emotional exhaustion, and spiritual emptiness. Which brings greater happiness, meaning and purpose to life? Rest and renewal or burnout and exhaustion? Young and old, or somewhere in the middle, don’t forget to rest your eyes, or enjoy nap time. It’s God’s Gift, given just for you!

Book Review Why Have all the People Gone is a There are many things that might be said challenge that lies before the church about this thoughtful book, about the author’s of the twenty-first century, a challenge spiritual passion and ecumenical commitment made real in church statistics by the to the church. It is an argument that creatively rising number of persons who register relates the travails of the churches to a failure their religious preference as “nones.” to follow the Decalogue and in particular the According to Marvin Jonasen the privaFourth Commandment. However, Jonasen tization of Christian faith contributes to could strengthen his argument were he to this state of affairs. Jonasen fears that relate it to issues of religious freedom and the such privatization undermines churches separation of church and state in American as communities of faith in a number of culture. The history of the increasing privatizaways and he spells these out in a series tion of belief and practice in the United States of ten chapters. Identified issues include was to accommodate the beliefs and practices an obsession with buildings, a failure of others in the public square. This is a history of ecumenical engagement, worship as of political hospitality that has created a space entertainment, little educational effort for the democratization of belief and practice. within churches, an embarrassment This social reality complicates Jonasen’s arguover outreach, inadequate stewardship, ment concerning privatization, but does not secular indifference and a misundernecessarily undermine it. Another factor that standing of social ministry, the unrealistic requires attention is that of the competition Baltimore: Publish America, 2009 demands of ministry, the loss of God in for time both throughout the week and now the midst of stuff, and the cost of discipleship. even on Sunday at the very point when some religious bodies This book is a part of the genre of church “come back” are diminishing their requirements for religious ordination, leadliterature which includes Autopsy of a Deceased Church by ership, and discipline and devotional practices. Thomas Rainer, Change Your Church or Die by Josh Hunt, Jonasen raises appropriate questions throughout his book. and Replant: How a Dying Church Can Grow Again by Darrin If Sunday is the “Lord’s Day” – a day that belongs to God, then Patrick. Jonasen’s take on this literature is to offer a unique asking, “What would Jesus do?” (WWJD) is a question that perspective with reference to the Decalogue. His argument is needs to be brought to bear upon privatization. Furthermore, of interest to friends of the Lord’s Day Alliance from the way in if it is to be a day characterized by freedom and joy such charwhich he relates each of his concerns both to the Decalogue acterization raises up the value of relationships in distinction and to the Sabbath commandment. Jonasen writes: “We have from private experience. The Lord’s Day is a special day. How seen how each, in its own way—starting with the privatization we treat it is symbolic of our understanding of history and its of faith – has created a domino effect of subsequent complicamomentum, what history portends particularly with reference tions that have compounded an already desperate situation to the meaning of covenant set in the context of community. when it comes to the health and well-being of the Christian To the extent that the Lord’s Day symbolizes and makes conChurch in America, in all of its various forms.” His ten concerns, crete an understanding of history it can be seen as the “heart related to the Ten Commandments, are held together through and soul” of the Decalogue and framework for Jonasen’s contheir common effect on the hollowing out of the worship life of cerns over privatization. It remains to be seen how his argument a faith community. can play out as public theology in our current social setting.

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By Lenore H. Tucker

African American Worship–Generations of Worship It is Saturday night, all chores are completed and my clothes are laid out for Sunday Service.

There is something uniquely enriching about African-American Christian worship.

nyone who has observed or participated in an African- American Christian worship service will admit that there is an undeniable difference. African-Americans understand worship involves God, the worshiper and the stuff of life. One powerful thing about God is that He has always existed. God’s Son, Jesus Christ, whose commitment was evidenced in His suffering, death, and resurrection, holds out hope for the personal and corporate transformation of humankind. God empowers us, with the divine Spirit from on high, so we can keep on keeping on even though you might be faced with challenges. Among the many elements of worship are music, prayer, and preaching. Worship provides comfort and healing. Comfort is experienced as worshipers sing the hymns of the church, spirituals along with the contemporary gospel songs. Healing comes as prayer is offered as a reminder of the power of God to right wrongs. Whether at the altar or in the pew, many will participate in the Altar prayer with utterances of “Yes, Lord,” “Please, God,” and “Come, Holy Spirit.” African- Americans are almost always involved in the Altar prayer, lifting the burdens of life, and offering strength for the continuing journey. Healing also comes when pastors who preach to aching hearts and confused minds expound on the Word. The cross of Christ is the substance and sum of preaching. Preaching travels both vertically and horizontally. Few things have provided African- Americans with the coping and survival skills as has worship. African-American worship not only comforts and heals, but empowers. The will and resilience comes from God. Our ancestors, who could not read or write memorized scripture and prayed from the heart, not concerned with vocabulary or impressive speech. The Black church has been a forum for political, social and economic awareness. African-American worship has played a vital role in the African- American community. African-American churches teach that all people are equal in God’s eyes. Compassion (Ephesians 4:32), courage (Deuteronomy 31:6), forgiveness (Colossians 3:13), honesty (2 Corinthians 8:21), obedience (1 Samuel 15:22), patience (Colossians 1:11), self-control (Proverbs 25:28) and tolerance (Romans 14:13) are traits we all need to enhance our lives and our worship.

Worship is a celebration of who God is, what God has done, is doing, and will do for His people. If you are “clothed in your right mind and have a reasonable portion of health and strength” this is reason enough to praise God that things are as well as they are. In African-American worship people have a good time in the Lord, and it is not uncommon leaving service to hear someone ask: “Didn’t we have church today?!” Yet to have church is not simply to engage in hand clapping, but to experience the liberating presence and power of Jesus Christ. The goal is to know God for yourself, on a personal level. Lenore Tucker is the President of the Pennsylvania State Sunday School Association. She has worked professionally as an educational consultant and was the National Director of Education for VisionQuest National Ltd., and the Title I Coordinator for the Washington County School District. She is married to the Reverend Doctor Ronnie Tucker, Pastor of the Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Steelton, PA.

Civic Sabbath

By Laura E. Everett

We long for rest from our increasingly frenetic lives.

For those of us lucky enough to have regular days off, even weekends are a hustle of e-mails and errands. Our supposedly sacred civic holidays, like Thanksgiving, are being crowded out by commercial demands, forcing workers to report to stores for duty or to remain at the beck and call of professional obligations. Massachusetts students hoping for a snow day remind us of the joy of an unexpected day off. But otherwise, as a Commonwealth, we no longer have common days of rest. Once we did, by law. The Massachusetts Bay Colony’s Sunday Sabbath laws prohibited commerce, limited activity, and required church attendance. This legacy now survives only in the vanishing “blue laws” that restrict Sunday commerce. Centuries later, we live in a vibrant and religiously diverse state where a common religious Sabbath isn’t something we would want the state to impose. And we wouldn’t want to face the fate of Aquila Chase and David Wheeler, charged in Ipswich Court in 1646 for gathering peas on Sunday.

But what if we recaptured the spirit of the day of rest for a world that needs it more than ever? People of many religious traditions and no religious tradition recognize the value of these shared moments of relief; after all, we will never cross boundaries to meet one another if we are never free at the same time. Our unique Suffolk County holidays need reformation. It’s time to transform our socalled hack holidays into something new: communal civic Sabbaths. Currently, Suffolk County commemorates Evacuation Day on March 17 and Bunker Hill Day on June 17. Our new mayor should claim these and create two more Suffolk County holidays, one in the fall and one in winter. Four times a year, all Bostonians could have a shared day off to reboot, volunteer, or explore. We need the power of our city government to help provide the respite that we cannot find on our own. With these new days of freedom, Boston will offer a national model for a healthy (and perhaps even holy) balance between work and rest. The Rev. Laura E. Everett, a resident of Boston, serves as the executive director of the Massachusetts Council of Churches. This article was published in The Boston Globe. Following the Globe’s article, Boston local station, WGBH (an NPR affiliate), picked up on the story interviewing Everett (audio interview).

Join ‘Friends of the LDA’ today: See how much $25 can do Over the past four years the Lord’s Day Alliance has offered new, highly relevant conferences at Boston University, Wheaton College, Fuller Theological Seminary, and Union Theological Seminary (NYC); continued its acclaimed Lowndes Sermon Competition; formed new partnerships with organizations like the Boston Theological Institute and the Academy of Preachers; and, continued to produce Sunday magazine. All of these things—and many more like them that we hope to offer— take money to build, launch and sustain. So, we ask for your financial support by becoming a founding member of the ‘Friends of the LDA’ in return for your gift of $25 or more. With your gifts of support we can continue this important ministry and expand beyond what is currently planned. Thank you. The Lord’s Day Alliance Board of Managers Note: Those able to give at the level of $25 per month ($300 per year) will be recognized as members of the Board of Managers Circle.

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Call for Entries 2014 Lowndes Sermon Competition Building an Intergenerational Community, preaching on the Fifth Commandment in the Light of the Fourth Commandment

The Jack P. and Doris T. Lowndes Sermon Competition, sponsored by the Lord’s Day Alliance is named in honor of the Lowndes who faithfully served as executive director and administrative assistant respectively from 1992 to 2000. The competition encourages preparation of a sermon for a local Christian congregation that highlights the importance of Sabbath in the life of Christians.

Theme

The theme for the 2014-2015 Lowndes Sermon Competition is Building an Intergenerational Community, preaching on the Fifth Commandment in the Light of the Fourth Commandment (Exodus 20:12; cf, Deut 5:16; Mt 15:4; 19:19; Mk 7:10; 10:19; Luke 18:20; Eph 6:2). Jesus affirmed the Law and its broader application among His followers. The challenges of Christian discipleship demand both an understanding, and a proper application, of Law in the context of Jesus’ offer of grace, forgiveness and a transformed life. The basis of social order rests upon our ability to construct an intergenerational communiity. Sabbath/Sunday speaks to the needs of an intergenerational society. The theologian Karl Barth writes that this day is a day for relationships. It is not to be a day spent in isolation from others. Insofar as the day belongs to man, it does not belong to man or woman in isolation from others: “It is a communal benefit and a communal duty” (Church Dogmatics, III.4.53., p. 69).

Eligibility & Dates

Practicing parish ministers, whether student pastor or full-time pastor, who have preaching responsibilities on a regular basis are eligible to submit an entry. The deadline for submissions is December 31, 2015. Winners will be notified by February, 2016 and announced publicly in the spring issue of Sunday Magazine.

Awards and Rules

The following awards will be available — $1,250 first prize; $1,000 second prize, and; $750 third prize. The award-winning sermon(s) will be printed in Sunday Magazine and the 1st place winner may be invited to present the sermon at an event sponsored by the Lord’s Day Alliance.

The following rules apply equally to all submitting entries: Sermons must be the original work of the submitter and must not have been published. Though copyright of the sermon will remain the property of the preparer, The Lord’s Day Alliance will have initial rights to publish and print the sermon and any further use of the sermon in print will acknowledge the LDA’s Jack P. and Doris T. Lowndes Sermon Competition as the source of inspiration for the sermon. The sermon must use the theme “Building an Intergenerational Community” demonstrating a connection between the 5th commandment (Exodus 20:12) on “honor your father and your mother,” and the 4th commandment on Sabbath practice. The length of the sermon should be 2,500 words or less, plus documented quotations/sources. Participants must submit an electronic copy in MSWord or text format, and an audio and/or video recorded copy of the sermon. The audio/video copy does not need to be professionally made, but should adequately record the sermon for the judges to clearly hear.

Judging

Sermons will be judged on the basis of the following: Biblical accuracy Originality Timeliness of topic Quality of sermon construction Ability to motivate/inform/call to action

Submissions

Include a brief cover letter giving any significant background about the sermon. Include a brief biographical sketch. Include your mailing address, telephone number, and email address.

Mail entries to:

Lowndes Sermon Competition sermoncompetition@ldausa.org The Lord’s Day Alliance of the U.S. 2715 Peachtree Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA 30305 (404) 693-5530 phone/text www.ldausa.org